Trouble is brewing in President William Ruto’s team of Principal Secretaries who hail from Mt Kenya region over a planned party for Energy PS Alex Wachira at his Nyeri County backyard.
The homecoming party which is scheduled to take place on Saturday 9, at Irigithathi Primary School, Naromoru, Nyeri County is estimated to cost nearly Sh60 million.
It has emerged that all PSs from Mt Kenya region are being forced to contribute Sh4 million each to the thanks giving kitty.
President Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua are expected to attend the event as chief guests.
The money is allegedly being collected personally by Mr Wachira who is aiming to mobilize at least 10,000 Nyeri residents to attend the event where they are expected to be given Sh2,000 each on top of rice and meat which has now become a tradition during political meetings in Central Kenya.
Wachira is Gachagua’s blue eyed boy in Nyeri politics where the Deputy President also hails from. Gachagua is also grooming Wachira for the Nyeri gubernatorial seat in 2027 as the DP prepares for his first presidential bid in 2032.
Wachira is expected to face stiff competition for the Nyeri UDA gubernatorial ticket in 2027 from the incumbent Mutahi Kahiga and Nyeri Senator Wamatinga Wahome who is also planning to vie for the seat on a UDA ticket.
Political analysts are wondering why the energy PS who has now been in office for 10 months is spending millions for the homecoming party despite him not implementing some of his promises that were meant to bring down the cost of electricity.
During his vetting in the National Assembly Wachira assured MPs that he would bring down the cost of power immediately after assuming office.
He said the most expensive thermal plant to operate was Muhoroni, a 60 megawatts factory, which runs on 300,000 litres of kerosene daily.
“I plan to retire Muhoroni power plant with immediate effect as a short-term measure as a way of bringing down the cost of power. But to retire the Muhoroni gas plant we have to evacuate as much power as possible from Olkaria geothermal power plant, which will then be supplied to western Kenya,” he said.
